At the box office, Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD is becoming a hit. With its shocking ending, the film left the viewers eagerly waiting for its sequel. The Mahanati director stated in a recent interview that they have been shooting for 25-30 days but there is still a lot left to do. It is like launching a completely new production.
Responding to those who criticised the film for having a dull and slow first half, Ashwin acknowledged some issues and places where it could have been done better. The first part focuses on the development of Bhairava and a parallel story involving Disha Patani. The audience believed that Patani’s part could have been cut, resulting in a shorter three-hour film. Nag Ashwin also acknowledged that the release was rushed due to the heavy visual effects and various language formats.
“There is still a lot of action left to unfold,” Ashwin said in response to a question about the development of the sequel. “There are still important sequences to come and they need to be executed well.” Nag Ashwin clarified that all the unresolved issues from the first film will be resolved as far as the narrative is concerned. The main attraction will be the showdown between the two most formidable fighters, Karna and Ashwatthama, and Yaskin, who can now wield Arjun’s Gandeeva, a devastating weapon.
Though Haasan played a minor role in Kalki 2898 AD, Ashwin hinted that the Tamil actor would play a major role in the sequel. As the adversary, Haasan plays the tyrannical dictator of the wealthy resort, the supreme Yaskin, who will receive a lot of screen time. Bhairava is a character from the Mahabharata who is reincarnated as Karna, according to Ashwin.
He believed that Karna’s story was incomplete and needed a happy ending. According to Ashwin, he got the idea for Kalki 2898 AD a few months after he finished his last film, Mahanati. He mentioned the Star Wars television series and the Mahabharata as influences from his early years.
